PORT ADELAIDE secured a 30-point win over Adelaide in the SANFL qualifying final on Saturday night, but it had to fight to the death to peel away from the Crows.
Just three points separated the teams at three quarter time in a tough, hard and scrappy game at the Adelaide Oval but the Magpies ran away with five goals in the last quarter to seal the deal.
Port coach Matthew Lokan was thrilled that his side could grind out a victory and book a semi final berth against Glenelg next Sunday.
“To win a final, no matter of how pretty or ugly the game was is pretty pleasing, we are rapt to have the opportunity to play Glenelg next week,” he told portadelaidefc.com.au.
“I liked that tonight we had to fight and scratch and Adelaide were right in the game for three and a half quarters, we know that we will have a tight contest next week because Glenelg are a really good team.
“Adelaide served it up to us for the majority of the game and we just blew it out late, so it was a good finals game of footy and we got the result we were after.”
The Magpies have now won five matches in a row and Lokan said it was down to his side’s ability to bring a positive attitude to every SANFL match.
“Positivity is what we base our game on,” he said.
“Our motto is to come back here with a really positive attitude – we know that guys want to be playing AFL footy and everyone has brought a really positive mind frame and loved playing here in the SANFL.
“We have had a really good back end of the year and we were challenged tonight so to get the result we were after is certainly pleasing.”
The Magpies will face Glenelg next Sunday at 3.15pm at the Adelaide Oval for a place in the 2019 SANFL grand final.